A high-throughput microfluidic device for probing calcium dynamics of single cells squeezing through narrow channels

To probe intracellular calcium response while single cells squeeze through narrow channels, we built a high-throughput microfluidic device where single cells can be trapped efficiently and stimulated mechanically. With this device, dozens of single cells' dynamic morphologies and intracellular...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of micromechanics and microengineering 2019-11, Vol.29 (11), p.115014
Main Authors: Yuan, Wei-Mo, Shao, Jin-Yu, Xue, Chun-Dong, Liu, Bo, Qin, Kai-Rong
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
cancer cell phenotype
dynamic mechanical stimuli
intracellular calcium response
mechanotransduction
microfluidic device
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Summary:To probe intracellular calcium response while single cells squeeze through narrow channels, we built a high-throughput microfluidic device where single cells can be trapped efficiently and stimulated mechanically. With this device, dozens of single cells' dynamic morphologies and intracellular [Ca2+] responses under dynamic mechanical stimuli can be monitored simultaneously. We observed a two-peak [Ca2+] response, which was closely coupled together with the dynamic cellular squeezing process. This type of [Ca2+] response, to our knowledge, was observed for the first time. We also investigated the role of the cytoskeleton in the [Ca2+] response and found that the cytoskeleton was an important regulator of [Ca2+] signaling during the cellular squeezing process. In addition, we investigated the difference between the two-peak [Ca2+] responses of Hela cells and HUVECs and found that one characteristic parameter could distinguish Hela cells from HUVECs.
ISSN:0960-1317
1361-6439
DOI:10.1088/1361-6439/ab3e7d